The proliferation of touch panel assemblies, such as those that incorporate a graphical user interface in lieu of devices that employ traditional push button assemblies and/or other assemblies that require more manual user input, has coincided with a need to provide the user with haptic feedback. Haptic feedback may include vibration or other movement that can be detected by as user's sense of touch. The haptic feedback provided by touch panel assemblies can enhance the user's experience by confirming activation of a certain command or providing sensations that better coincide to images on a graphical user interface display, for example. Combinations of actuators and suspension components may be used to facilitate relative movement of touch panel assembly components. Conventional suspension components such as leaf springs and cantilevers provide only one degree of freedom of movement, which limits haptic feedback to simple movement in one direction so that all feedback sensations feel the same to the user.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,629,954 by Olien et al. discloses several embodiments of grommet suspension components for use with touch screen assemblies. These grommet suspension components are mounted to a rigid housing and have lumens configured to receive posts or other coupling means of the touch screen assembly. Each of the disclosed grommet suspension components is specifically designed to allow movement or the touch screen assembly in one direction while limiting movement in other directions.